And christian f



(No Model.)

W. L. DUDLEY 8v C. F. RAPP.

ELECTRIC ARG LAMP.

IJVEJTURE.

UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM L. DUDLEY, OF COVINGTON, KENTUCKY, AND CHRISTIAN F. RAPP,

OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE AMERICAN IRIDIUM COM- PANY, orCINCINNATI, oHIo.

ELECTRIC-ARC LAlVlP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 271,816, dated February6, 1883.

Application filed May 25, 1882. (No model.)

1o all whom it may concern Be it known that we, WILLIAn L. DUDLEY andCHRISTIAN F. RAPP,citiZens oi' the United States, and residingrespectively at Covington,

in the county of Kenton, State of Kentucky, and at Cincinnati, in thecounty of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Electric Lights, of which the following is aspecification.

Our invention relates to that class of electric apparatus for producingand controlling light by the use of discontinuous conductors.

The chief objects of the invention are, tirst, to prevent the strikingor pounding ofthe elec- 1 5 trodes, thus permitting the use ot' anon-com bustihle electrode by which the point 'of light is always in thesame position; second, to

econoinize power in the production of light, l

and labor and material in the apparatus by 2o which it is produced;third, to utilize the natural form or taper of the positive carbon,caused byits combustion, to automatically feed the same, so that thepoint always retains the same position relative to its supports, thusdiminishing the longitudinal motion ofthe core equal to the length ot'the positive carbon or electrode; fourth, to hold the positive electrodepermanently in its supports. 'These objects are attained by the meansillustrated in 3o the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is anelevation of our improved lamp, adapted to use a non-combustiblenegative electrode, the point er tip of which is preferably made ot'iridium'. Fig. 2 is a similar view of our lamp, having the helix andcore lengthened for use with both electrodes of carhon. Fig. 3 is anedge elevation of the lamp shown in Fig. 2. Fig. I is an enlarged view,in vertical section, of the devices which are at- 4o ta-ched to thelower end of the core to sustain and feed the positive electrode andconduct the electricity down to near the point of the same. Fig. 5 isaiplan view of the top of the lamp frame. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectionthrough linc of Fig. 1I. Fig. 7 is an inverted plan view of the partsrepresented in Fig. 4; and Fig is a side elevation oi' a bracketlampprovided with our improvements.

Similar letters referto similar parts through- 5o out the several views.

The form of'lamp-i'rame to which we have applied our improvements(except Fig. S) is in general structure like those in common use; but asthe play of the positive-electrode holder ot' ourdevice is veryliinitedand the length of 55 our electromagnet is Inuch diminished theframe is correspondingly shortened.

Ais the cap, of ebonite or other non-conducting material, to which issuspended the curved metal frame B and helix C. lVithin 6o the helix asoft-iron core, D, is suspended by chains'or cords d, which pass overpulleys d', journaled in standards, which are secured on top ot' cap A.To the outer ends ofthe chains or cords are attached weights d2 tonearly 65 counterpoise the weight ofthe core and its attachments. Thetop ofthe core is capped with ebonite to insulate it from the chains.

In the bottom of frame I3, directly below the core D, is the customarysocket for the reeep- 7o tion of the negative electrode. A ring orcollar, e, which is secured to the lower end of core D by a bayonetjointorother suitable means, has two rods, E E, depending from it uponopposite sides, and secured to the lower ends ot' 75 these rods is ametal disk, F. The rodsE pass through bosses projecting from the upperside of disk F, and secured by set-screwsf. The rods are insulated by abushing of asbestus or othersuitablenon-conductingmaterialbetween 8othem and the bosses.

From the under side of disk F three lingers.

G, ot' platinum or other material capable ot' resisting a high degree ofheat, incline inward to receive and support the positive electrode II.For this purpose the endsjoi' the lingers should be equidistant from theaxis et' the electrodes, and in a circular path of less diameter thanthe carbon H, so that'they grasp it around thetapering part. New, as thecar- 9o bon is consumed in use it still retains the same tapering format the point. It will therefore be fed regularly downward by its ownweight as it burns away, andthe distance between the point ofthe carbonand the lingers Cr remains the same until the carbon is consumed.

The rods E have hooks projecting from them, upon which are suspendedframes carrying contact-rollers J J. These rollers pass through loops inrods E, and have grooved ma peripheries to bear against the electrode H.

The disk F serves as a shield to prevent the particles of carbon thrownoff by combustion from rising and adhering to the rollers J. Thepurposeot' making these rollers and theirframes detachable is forconvenience in cleaning their grooved peripheries, so as to insureperfect contact between the rollers and positive electrede.

Above the electrodeHis a follower, K, which is guided b v the rods E.rlhe follower has a long boss, k, upon one side, through which one oftherods E loosely passes. The'opposite side of the follower has a notch toreceive the opposite rod E. The follower is beveled upon the under side,and is insulated from the carbon by a cap or washer of ebonite. As thecarbon feeds itselfdown the follower K travels with it; but beingbeveled, so that the top side of the carbon opposite the boss k onlytouches the under side of the follower,any inclination of the carbon torise will lock the follower. The point of the positive carbon will thusbe held in the same position relative to the ting-ers G.

Instead ofthe follower K, a weight might be substituted; but this wouldnot be so good, because the weight that would bejust sufficient to keepthe full carbon in place would be too light when the carbon is partiallyconsumed.

It is also obvious that instead of the rods or frame E a tube might beused, the opposite sides ofthe same being slotted to permit the rollersJ J to touch the carbon H; and instead of the rollersJ stationarycontact-surfaces may he substituted to conduct the electricity to thecarbon H near the point.

In Fig. 8 is shown how our improvements may be applied to a bracket-lampor a headlight for vessels, &c. The cap A is attached to any suitablesupport and the rod E rigidly attached to it. The helix U is supportedupon top of the cap. To the top of the core D is hinged the leverrod E2.This rod is fulcrumed at e in the rod E. rlhe journal-pin and the jointbetween the rods E and E2 are hushed with ebonite to insulate the rodsfrom each other.

To the outer end of rod E is the customary holder for the negativeelectrode, (which in this case should be non-combustible.) The endofsrod E2 is bent to be vertically above the negative, and theattachments shown in Fig. 4l are secured to the downwardly-bent end,substantially as they are to the core in the hanging lamp. The operationof the lamps is the same.

lt will be seen that when anon-combustible negative electrode isused-as,for instance, the ordinaryiridiumoriridium-tipped electrodestheplay of the core D 1s very limited, and when carbons are used for bothelectrodes the play is only equal to the length of the negative, so thatour lamps are very compact n form and can be made much cheaper than anyin use; and in our lamp the electricity is conducted to nea-r the arc,and is not therefore re sisted by passing through the entire carbon.

. W'e therefore use naked earbons for our positive Aelectrode instead ofthe copper-plated ones generally used with other lamps.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isw

l. A carbon-holder for electric lamps having an insulated sectionconstructed to grasp the carbon at the tapered portion of the same andpermit it to pass down as the carbon is consumed. v

2. The combination,in an electriclamp, ofanelectrc-magnethavingacarbon-holderaltached to the core of the same, saidholder having an insulated section constructed to grasp thel car! bon atthe tapered portion thereof with the electrodes of an arc lamp,substantially as specified.

3. In an electriclamp, the combination ofa non-combustible negativeelectrode with a carbon-holder having an insulated section constructedto grasp the positive electrode at the tapered portion of the same, saidholder being' attached to the core of an electromagnet, substanti-allyas specified.

4. In an electriclamp, the combination, snbstantially as hereinbeforeset. forth, of an electro-magnet with a carbonholder, consisting ot'frame E E and fingers Gr, suitably connected to but insulated from saidframe, said holder being attached to the core of the magnet.

5. The carbon-holder consisting of frame E E, ring or disk F, connectedto but insulated from said frame, fingers G, and the tapered electrodeH, in combination with a follower, as K, to retain the electrode incontact with said iin gers.

6. The combination of a carbon-holder having an insulated sectionconstructed to grasp the carbon at the tapered portion thereof, withcontact-wheels, as J, held in electrical contact with the carbon, nearthe tapered end of the same, for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination of the electrode H, a holder grasping the saidelectrode at the tapered end, with wheels J iu electrical con nectionwith the said electrode, near the tapered end, and the disk F to protectthe wheels from the particles of carbon arising from the combustion ofthe electrode.

8. The combination, as specified, of an electro-magnet, a carbon-holderattached to the core of the magnet, and having an insulated sectionconstructed to hold the positive electrode at. 'the tapered portion ot'the same, with the weights d2, pulleys d/,and chains dto counterbalancethe weight of the said core and carbon-holder.

9. rlhe combination, substantially as specitied, of a shortelectromagnet, a carbon-holder consisting of a frame or tube, attachedto the core of said magnet, and havinginsulated iingers Gr at the lowerend ot' said frame to grasp a combustible positive electrode, with anoncombustible negative electrode of iridium or other material capableof resisting a high degree of heat.

l0. The combination, as specified, of the rods E E, having loops to passthe wheels J J,

IOO

IIO

and hooks I, with Wheels J and their frames detachahly suspended fromsaid hooks, for the pendent ot' the action ot the current upon theholder,and having,` the part for conducting,` the electric current tothe carbon applied to the carbon, near the point thereof.

13. In an electric light, the combination of a carbon-holder regulatedby means or with the aid ot the current, anda carbon having` a` movementin the holder independent of the action of the current upon the holder,said holder having one or more fingers for retainingl the carbon, saidngers being,` insulated from the current.

14. In an electric light, the combination ot' a carbonholder regulatedby means or with the aid ot' the current, and a carbon having` amovement in the holder independent ot' the current upon the holder, saidholder having insulated fingers for retaining the carbon, and suitablemeans for cond ucting the electric current to the carbon, near the pointthereof.

CAD

15. A carbon-holder the carbon in which has a movement in the insulatedholding device independent ot' the electric current, and the part forconducting the electric current to the carbon applied to the carbon,near the end thereof'.

16. An electrode, J, through which the current passes to the carbon,movable toward and from the carbon, the insulated. retaining-fingers tohold and feed the carbon, in combination with a frame for supportingboth the electrode and said retainingtingers.

17. A carbon-holder having; an electrode attached thereto, andretaining-fingers insulated, for the purpose described.

18. The combination of the carbon-holder e E E F, the retaining-fingersGr, and the insulatin'g substance interposed between said tingers andpart E, substantiall \7 as described.

19. An electrode-holder having the retaining finger or fingers insulatedfor the purpose ot' preventing the electric current from passing to thecarbon through the fingers, and having the part through which thecurrent is transmitted to the carbon arranged to bear upon the carbon,at the side thereof.

\VILLIAM L. DUDLEY. CHRISTIAN F. RAPP.

Witnesses:

Guo. J. MURRAY, SOL. H. WOLF.

